Una Sybella Teague was born in December 1878 to James Pascoe Teague and Sybella Elles. Una had two step-brothers Herbert (Bert) and Gilbert and a step-sister Violet. She had a brother Lionel who was born four years later.

In 1932-33 Una and Violet travelled to see the centre of Australia. Whilst visiting the Hermannsburg Mission they learnt about the problem of lack of water. When the sisters returned to Melbourne, they decided that funds should be raised to install a pipeline from Koporilja Springs to provide permanent water. Installation commenced on 1 December 1934 and the water came through on 1 October 1935.

Una gathered a wide collection of Aboriginal artefacts, many of these represented in places such as Oxford University (flint implements), Royal Scottish Museum (churinga), National Gallery and the bulk of her material being donated to the South Australian Museum.

Violet died in 1951 and Una continued to live at Trawalla for many years eventually moving to a house in Emerald (VIC) where she lived until her death in 1969, aged 91.

The South Australian Museum Archives contains a drawing by Tommy McRae, sketches of petroglyphs at Nukia Rockhole and papers that includes notes on tjuringas.

Cultural Sensitivity

It is a condition of use of the cultural components of the South Australian Museum
Archives that users ensure that any disclosure of information contained in this
collection is consistent with the views and sensitivities of Indigenous people.
Users are warned that there may be words and descriptions that may be culturally
sensitive and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts.

Users should also be aware that some records document research into people and cultures
using a scientific research model dating from the first half of the twentieth century,
and depicts people as research subjects in ways which may today be considered offensive.
Some records contain terms and annotations that reflect the author's attitude or
that of the period in which the item was written, and may be considered inappropriate
today in some circumstances.

Users should be aware that in some Indigenous communities, hearing names of deceased
persons might cause sadness or distress, particularly to the relatives of these
people. Furthermore, certain totemic symbols may also have prohibitions relating
to the age, initiation and ceremonial status or clan of the person who may see them.
Records included may be subject to access conditions imposed by Indigenous communities
and/or depositors. Users are advised that access to some materials may be subject
to these terms and conditions that the Museum is required to maintain.